Combination Of Chemotherapeutic Drugs Research Articles

The Potential of Plant Polysaccharides and Chemotherapeutic Drug Combinations in the Suppression of Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women worldwide. The associated morbidity and mortality have been on the increase while available therapies for its treatment have not been totally effective. The most common treatment, chemotherapy, sometimes has dangerous side effects because of non-specific targeting, in addition to poor therapeutic indices, and high dose requirements. Consequently, agents with anticancer effects are being sought that can reduce the side effects induced by chemotherapy while increasing its cytotoxicity to cancer cells. This is possible using natural compounds that are safe and biologically active. There are many reports on plant polysaccharides due to their bioactive and anticancer properties. The use of plant polysaccharide together with a conventional cytotoxic drug may offer wide benefits in cancer therapy, producing synergistic effects, thereby reducing drug dose and, so, its associated side effects. In this review, we highlight an overview of the use of plant polysaccharides and chemotherapeutic drugs in breast cancer preclinical studies, including their mechanisms of anticancer activities. The findings emphasize the potential of plant polysaccharides to improve chemotherapeutic outcomes in breast cancer, paving the way for more effective and safer treatment strategies.

Synergistic Effect of Salinomycin With Budesonide on TNBC Regression via EMT Reversal and Autophagy Induction.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) poses a significant clinical challenge due to its aggressive nature, lack of specific therapeutic targets, and drug resistance. Chemotherapy resistance in TNBC is largely driven by the abnormal activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the associated cancer stem cell-like characteristics. The combination of multiple chemotherapeutic drugs has shown promise as a treatment approach for TNBC. This study evaluates the efficacy of a novel combination therapy involving the anti-inflammatory drug Budesonide and Salinomycin, which targets cancer stem cells. Co-administration of Budesonide and Salinomycin demonstrated a synergistic effect in inhibiting TNBC cell growth by activating the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. It induced a 2- to 3-fold increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and a 25%-30% rise in mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Additionally, extensive signaling studies revealed that the co-treatment specifically targeted multiple signaling nodes, limiting downstream crosstalk. The combination also enhanced autophagic activity by inhibiting the AKT/mTOR pathway and reduced cell migration and stemness by suppressing the EMT process. Therefore, the combination of Budesonide and Salinomycin offers a novel therapeutic approach for TNBC.

A Combination of Chemotherapy and Autogenous Vaccine for Control of Bovine Papillomatosis in Cattle

The present study was conducted during the period from July, 2023 to January, 2024. Two clinical cases of cattle were reported with cutaneous papillomas, one near right umbilical region and another over the right hind teat of cattle. Both the animals were treated with a protocol designed such that it can regulate the secondary bacterial infection, speedy recovery of integument system and enhance the immune response for complete regression of the warts. The innate immune responses of infected animals were augmented with inactivated pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as autogenous vaccine candidate. The warts were surgically excised, triturated in sterile PBS, inactivated with 0.5% formaline and prepared the autogenous vaccine. The sterility test of vaccine revealed that the vaccine was free from bacterial and fungal contaminants. The chemotherapy includes the use of drugs Thuja ointment, Inj.Enrofloxacin, Inj.Avil and Inj.Anthiomaline. The dose of the vaccine was 1 ml 20 kg-1 b.wt. subcutaneously and given at weekly intervals for a period of 4 weeks. It was observed that the treatment protocol was successfully effective and regression of warts was noticed from 2nd week onwards. By end of 4th week a complete recovery of the wart infected area was noticed with a black scar left behind. The formalin inactivated autogenous vaccine was effective, and applied for control of bovine papillomavirus infection in cattle with combination of chemotherapeutic drugs resulted in early regression of warts.

Overexpression of BubR1 Mitotic Checkpoint Protein Predicts Short Survival and Influences the Progression of Cholangiocarcinoma.

Budding Uninhibited by Benzimidazole-Related 1 (BubR1) or BUB1 Mitotic Checkpoint Serine/Threonine Kinase B (BUB1B) is an essential component of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which controls chromosome separation during mitosis. Overexpression of BubR1 has been associated with the progression of various cancers. This study demonstrated that high expression of BubR1 correlated with cholangiocarcinogenesis in a hamster cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) model and was associated with shorter survival in patients with CCA. Co-expression of BubR1 and MPS1, which is a SAC-related protein, indicated a shorter survival rate in patients with CCA. Knockdown of BubR1 expression by specific siRNA (siBubR1) significantly decreased cell proliferation and colony formation while inducing apoptosis in CCA cell lines. In addition, suppression of BubR1 inhibited migration and invasion abilities via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). A combination of siBubR1 and chemotherapeutic drugs showed synergistic effects in CCA cell lines. Taken together, this finding suggested that BubR1 had oncogenic functions, which influenced CCA progression. Suppression of BubR1 might be an alternative option for CCA treatment.

Combined Application of Cold Physical Plasma and Chemotherapeutics against Chondrosarcoma Cells.

Chondrosarcoma (CS) is a rare malignant bone sarcoma that primarily affects cartilage cells in the femur and pelvis. While most subtypes exhibit slow growth with a very good prognosis, some aggressive subtypes have a poorer overall survival. CS is known for its resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, leaving surgery as the sole effective therapeutic option. Cold physical plasma (CPP) has been explored in vitro as a potential therapy, demonstrating positive anti-tumor effects on CS cells. This study investigated the synergistic effects of combining CPP with cytostatics on CS cells. The chemotherapeutic agents cisplatin, doxorubicin, and vincristine were applied to two CS cell lines (CAL-78 and SW1353). After determining their IC20 and IC50, they were combined with CPP in both cell lines to assess their impact on the cell proliferation, viability, metabolism, and apoptosis. This combined approach significantly reduced the cell proliferation and viability while increasing the apoptosis signals compared to cytostatic therapy alone. The combination of CPP and chemotherapeutic drugs shows promise in targeting chemoresistant CS cells, potentially improving the prognosis for patients in clinical settings.

Natural Substances as Valuable Alternative for Improving Conventional Antifungal Chemotherapy: Lights and Shadows.

Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with relatively few pathogenic members dangerous for humans, usually acting as opportunistic infections. In the last decades, several life-threatening fungal infections have risen mostly associated with the worldwide extension of chronic diseases and immunosuppression. The available antifungal therapies cannot combat this challenge because the arsenal of compounds is scarce and displays low selective action, significant adverse effects, and increasing resistance. A growing isolation of outbreaks triggered by fungal species formerly considered innocuous is being recorded. From ancient times, natural substances harvested from plants have been applied to folk medicine and some of them recently emerged as promising antifungals. The most used are briefly revised herein. Combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs with natural products to obtain more efficient and gentle treatments are also revised. Nevertheless, considerable research work is still necessary before their clinical use can be generally accepted. Many natural products have a highly complex chemical composition, with the active principles still partially unknown. Here, we survey the field underlying lights and shadows of both groups. More studies involving clinical strains are necessary, but we illustrate this matter by discussing the potential clinical applications of combined carnosic acid plus propolis formulations.

Impact of Combination Therapy with Chemical Drugs and Megavoltage X-ray Exposure on Breast Cancer Stem Cells' Viability and Proliferation of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines.

Breast Cancer (BC) is a serious malignancy among women. However, chemotherapy is an important tool for cancer treatments, but the long-term use of chemotherapy drugs may lead to drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Since Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) can be the main factor to induce BC treatment resistance and recurrence, investigation of BCSCs signaling pathways can be an effective modality to enhance cancer treatment efficiency. In this study, the effect of metformin, SB203580, and takinib alone or in combination with radiotherapy on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines was evaluated. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines were treated with metformin, SB203580, and takinib for 24 or 48 hours, followed by X-ray exposure. The MTT assay and flow cytometry analysis were performed to assess cell growth inhibition and cellular death, CXCr4 expression, and BCSCs, respectively. The results showed the combination of takinib/SB203580 with radiotherapy to remarkably reduce the CXCR4 expression and BCSCs levels in the MCF-7 cell line. Also, the concurrent administration of takinib/metformin/radiotherapy significantly reduced BCSCs and CXCR4 metastatic markers in the MDA-MB- 231 cells. Since the MAPK signaling pathway has an important role in inducing drug resistance and cell proliferation, the use of SB203580 as an inhibitor of p38 MAPK can improve breast cancer treatment. Furthermore, metformin and ionizing radiation by suppression of the mTOR signaling pathway can control AMPK activation and cellular proliferation. Anti-cancer and cytotoxic effects of metformin can be effective in this strategy. In conclusion, the combination of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, including SB203580, metformin, and takinib with X-ray exposure can be a new approach to diminish the drug resistance of breast cancer.

Podcast on Emerging Treatment Options for Pediatric Patients with ALK-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma and Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) are rare cancers observed predominantly in children and young adults. ALCL accounts for 10-15% of all pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphomas and is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease. In children, 84-91% of cases of ALCL harbor an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene translocation. IMT is a rare mesenchymal neoplasm that also tends to occur in children and adolescents. Approximately 50-70% of IMT cases involve rearrangements in the ALK gene. A combination of chemotherapeutic drugs is typically used for children with ALK-positive ALCL, and the only known curative therapy for ALK-positive IMT is complete surgical resection. Crizotinib, a first-generation ALK inhibitor, was approved in the USA in 2021 for pediatric patients and young adults with relapsed or refractory ALK-positive ALCL; however, its safety and efficacy have not been established in older adults. In 2022, crizotinib was approved for adult and pediatric patients with unresectable, recurrent, or refractory ALK-positive IMT. This podcast provides an overview of ALK-positive ALCL and IMT. We discuss the current treatment landscape, the role of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and areas of future research.

Cannabigerol Induces Autophagic Cell Death by Inhibiting EGFR-RAS Pathways in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most frequent infiltrating type of pancreatic cancer. The poor prognosis associated with this cancer is due to the absence of specific biomarkers, aggressiveness, and treatment resistance. PDAC is a deadly malignancy bearing distinct genetic alterations, the most common being those that result in cancer-causing versions of the KRAS gene. Cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-psychomimetic cannabinoid with anti-inflammatory properties. Regarding the anticancer effect of CBG, up to now, there is only limited evidence in human cancers. To fill this gap, we investigated the effects of CBG on the PDAC cell lines, PANC-1 and MIAPaCa-2. The effect of CBG activity on cell viability, cell death, and EGFR-RAS-associated signaling was investigated. Moreover, the potential synergistic effect of CBG in combination with gemcitabine (GEM) and paclitaxel (PTX) was investigated. MTT was applied to investigate the effect of CBG on PDAC cell line viabilities. Annexin-V and Acridine orange staining, followed by cytofluorimetric analysis and Western blotting, were used to evaluate CBG's effect on cell death. The modulation of EGFR-RAS-associated pathways was determined by Western blot analysis and a Milliplex multiplex assay. Moreover, by employing the MTT data and SynergyFinder Plus software analysis, the effect of the combination of CBG and chemotherapeutic drugs was determined.

Optimizing the combination of chemotherapeutic drugs along with radiotherapy for extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma

Background: Extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) has a unique treatment principle. However, the optimal combination of drugs along with radiotherapy (RT) is unknown. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objectives: We screened multiple drug combinations to identify the most efficacious therapeutic combinations. Methods: We reviewed 3105 patients who received 40 chemotherapy regimens with different combinations of 9 drug classes and/or RT. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to screen efficacious single drugs and identify optimal combinations for overall survival (OS). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and multivariable analyses were used to compare survival between treatment regimens. Results: Screening and validation revealed RT, asparaginase (ASP), and gemcitabine (GEM) to be the most efficacious single modality/drug. RT remained an important component of first-line treatment, whereas ASP was a fundamental drug of non-anthracycline (ANT)-based regimens. Addition of RT to non-ANT-based or ASP/GEM-based regimens, or addition of an ASP-drug into ANT-based or GEM/platinum-based regimens, improved 5-year OS significantly. Use of ASP/GEM-based regimens was associated with significantly higher 5-year OS (79.9%) compared with ASP/ANT-based (69.2%, p = 0.001), ASP/methotrexate-based (63.5%, p = 0.011), or ASP/not otherwise specified-based (63.2%, p < 0.001) regimens. The survival benefit of ASP/GEM-based regimens over other ASP-based regimens was substantial across risk-stratified and advanced-stage subgroups. The survival benefits of a combination of RT, ASP, and GEM were consistent after adjustment for confounding factors by IPTW. Conclusion: These results suggest that combining ASP/GEM with RT for ENKTCL is an efficacious and feasible therapeutic option and provides a rationale and strategy for developing combination therapies.

Antinutrient Phytic acid: Can be proved to be a Boon for Colorectal Cancer

Phytic acid also known as inositol hexa-phosphate, is a simple ringed bioactive sugar molecule with six phosphate groups attached to each carbon. Cereals, pulses, and oil seeds contain considerable amounts of Phytic acid. Phytic acid is known as a potent anti-nutrient that binds with the minerals and forms chelates thus leading to mineral deficiency diseases if administered in excess dosage. The phytase (enzyme) containing foods can reverse the reaction and increase the bioavailability of minerals. In-spite of having anti-nutritional properties, phytic acid can be a boon for colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer, the third most often malignant carcinoma, progresses sporadically in the setting of hereditary cancer syndromes, or on the basis of inflammatory bowel disease. Nutrients can directly affect the fundamental cellular processes and is considered as the most important risk factors in colorectal cancer. Colorectal Cancer occurs with the formation of polyps. Various mechanisms have been proposed for Phytic Acid as anti-tumorigenic abilities that are antioxidant properties, gene alteration, increase natural killer activity and cell cycle inhibition. Different studies suggest phytic acid can suppress tumour growth and prevent colorectal cancer. Phytic acid supplementation with its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activity, and metal chelation capacity are of great deal of interest to improve the anticarcinogenic activity of chemotherapeutic drugs in combination or alone. Further studies are needed to establish the safe dosage of phytic acid in daily diet as well as for preventing colorectal cancer.

An Optimized Method to Culture Human Primary Lung Tumor Cell Spheroids

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with a median survival rate at 5 years of less than 20%. While molecular mapping aids in selecting appropriate therapies, it cannot predict personalized treatment response and long-term efficacy. For addressing these challenges, there is a great need for functional tests. Within this context, we developed patient-derived spheroids (PDS) from tumor and adjacent normal tissue to biomimic the respective tissue for assessing the personalized drug treatment response in vitro. Surgically resected lung specimens were used to generate spheroids using a two-step culture procedure. Flow cytometry and immune staining enabled the characterization of different cell populations resulting from the lung samples. PDS phenotype, cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated. Differential gene expression between tumor and adjacent normal tissue was analyzed via RT-qPCR. PDS drug sensitivity was assessed using a cell metabolic assay in response to two chemotherapeutic drug combinations. Cellular and molecular analysis revealed the proportion of epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells in the patients’ tissue samples. Subsequently, PDS models from tumor and normal lung were successfully established using the expanded epithelial cells. As a proof of concept, an analysis of the drug treatment using PDS of lung adenoid cystic carcinoma exhibited a dose-dependent effect in response to cisplatin/etoposide and cisplatin/paclitaxel. Our spheroid model of both tumor and non-tumor lung cells holds great promise for enhancing the treatment efficacy in the cancer patients.

Treatment methods for patients suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (all) - a brief review

Introduction and purpose: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a medical condition with underlying abnormal proliferation of cells of the lymphoid system which are blocked at an early stage of differentiation. As a result of impaired lymphocyte maturation, the proliferation and accumulation of immature blastic cells, derived from tumor-transformed bone marrow precursor cells, develop in the bone marrow. The infiltration of the bone marrow by leukemic cells results in failure of normal hematopoiesis, with subsequent anemia, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is among the most aggressive proliferative diseases, and survival time is a few to several weeks without appropriate treatment.Materials and methods: The literature available on PubMed was reviewed using the words “acute lymphoblastic leukemia ”, “ALL”, “acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment”.Summary: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was managed with a chemotherapeutic drug combination for several years, with median overall survival of approximately 80% for all newly diagnosed cases. Patients with higher-risk relapses receive more intensive treatment, while patients with more favorable outcomes can avoid more toxic effects. Multicenter randomized controlled trials conducted by international collaborative efforts are helping to advance overall survival by exploring novel treatments. Hope for the future of leukemia therapy is defining the underlying molecular trails in the pathogenesis of the disease and clarifying host pharmacogenetic factors further. If successful, these efforts will allow the identification of new genes with candidate proteins for targeted therapies.

Nanomedicine and Hyperthermia for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The incidence of gastrointestinal cancers has increased in recent years. Current treatments present numerous challenges, including drug resistance, non-specificity, and severe side effects, needing the exploration of new therapeutic strategies. One promising avenue is the use of magnetic nanoparticles, which have gained considerable interest due to their ability to generate heat in tumor regions upon the application of an external alternating magnetic field, a process known as hyperthermia. This review conducted a systematic search of in vitro and in vivo studies published in the last decade that employ hyperthermia therapy mediated by magnetic nanoparticles for treating gastrointestinal cancers. After applying various inclusion and exclusion criteria (studies in the last 10 years where hyperthermia using alternative magnetic field is applied), a total of 40 articles were analyzed. The results revealed that iron oxide is the preferred material for magnetism generation in the nanoparticles, and colorectal cancer is the most studied gastrointestinal cancer. Interestingly, novel therapies employing nanoparticles loaded with chemotherapeutic drugs in combination with magnetic hyperthermia demonstrated an excellent antitumor effect. In conclusion, hyperthermia treatments mediated by magnetic nanoparticles appear to be an effective approach for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, offering advantages over traditional therapies.

Trustworthy Deep Neural Network for Inferring Anticancer Synergistic Combinations.

The lack of a gold standard synergy quantification method for chemotherapeutic drug combinations warrants the consideration of different synergy metrics to develop efficient predictive models. Furthermore, neglecting combination sensitivity may lead to biased synergistic combinations, which are ineffective in cancer treatment. In this paper, we propose a deep learning-based model, SynPredict, which effectively predicts synergy in five synergy metrics together with the combination sensitivity score. SynPredict assesses the impact of multimodal fusion architectures of the input data, including the gene expression data of cancer cells, along with the representative chemical features of drugs in pairwise combinations. Both ONEIL and ALMANAC anticancer combination datasets are employed comparatively. The impact of the training datasets was more significant and consistent across most synergy models than input data fusion architectures. Synpredict outperforms the state-of-the-art predictive models, including DeepSynergy, AuDNN synergy, TranSynergy and DrugComb, with up to 74% decline in the mean square error. We highlight the pivotal need to consider a multiplex of synergy metrics and the combined sensitivity in the predictive models.

Exploration of the Use of Natural Compounds in Combination with Chemotherapy Drugs for Tumor Treatment.

Currently, chemotherapy is the main treatment for tumors, but there are still problems such as unsatisfactory chemotherapy results, susceptibility to drug resistance, and serious adverse effects. Natural compounds have numerous pharmacological activities which are important sources of drug discovery for tumor treatment. The combination of chemotherapeutic drugs and natural compounds is gradually becoming an important strategy and development direction for tumor treatment. In this paper, we described the role of natural compounds in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs in synergizing, reducing drug resistance, mitigating adverse effects and related mechanisms, and providing new insights for future oncology research.

Perspectives of the Application of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Cancer Therapy: Attempts to Overcome Their Unfavorable Side Effects.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) express anti-tumoral activity mainly by blocking cyclooxygenase-2 involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins. Therefore, in the last few decades, many have attempted to explore the possibilities of applying this group of drugs as effective agents for the inhibition of neoplastic processes. This review summarizes the evidence presented in the literature regarding the anti-tumoral actions of NSAIDs used as monotherapies as well as in combination with conventional chemotherapeutics and natural products. In several clinical trials, it was proven that combinations of NSAIDs and chemotherapeutic drugs (CTDs) were able to obtain suitable results. The combination with phospholipids may resolve the adverse effects of NSAIDs and deliver derivatives with increased antitumor activity, whereas hybrids with terpenoids exhibit superior activity against their parent drugs or physical mixtures. Therefore, the application of NSAIDs in cancer therapy seems to be still an open chapter and requires deep and careful evaluation. The literature's data indicate the possibilities of re-purposing anti-inflammatory drugs currently approved for cancer treatments.

Effects of Apis dorsata Honey on the mRNA Expression of Selected CYP450, Pro-apoptotic, and Anti-apoptotic Genes during Induced Cytotoxicity in Cyclophosphamide-treated Human Lung Carcinoma (A549) Cells.

One of the novel strategies in cancer treatment is the combination of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs and natural products. In a previous study, co-treatment of the anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide (CP) with honey from giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) resulted to a dose-dependent increase in its cytotoxic effect in human lung carcinoma (A549) cells. However, the molecular mechanism of this combinatorial effect remains unknown. In this study, the effect of A. dorsata honey on the expression of selected CYP450 genes at the mRNA level, as well as the proapoptotic gene CASP8 and antiapoptotic gene BCL2 was investigated in CP-treated A549 cells. MTT Assay was performed to determine the cell viability of A549 cells after treatment with CP with or without A. dorsata honey, as well as the EC50 of CP with honey thereafter. RT-qPCR was then performed to study the effect of A. dorsata honey on the expression of selected CYP450 genes as well as CASP8 and BCL2 genes in CP-treated A549 cells. LC-MS was carried out to screen for putative compounds in A. dorsata honey which may possibly have anti-cancer activity. Honey in the lowest concentration (0.6% v/v) most effectively enhanced the cytotoxic effect of CP. CYP2J2 and CYP1B1 indicated a 2.38-fold and 1.49-fold upregulation, respectively as compared to untreated cells. This cytotoxic effect is further enhanced by upregulation of CASP8 that is paralleled by a downregulation of BCL2. Phytosphingosine and sphinganine are honey constituents which may be linked to the increased cytotoxicity of CP observed in A549 cells. This study provides further knowledge on the molecular basis by which A. dorsata honey potentiates the cytotoxic effect of cyclophosphamide in A549 cells.

Supramolecular nanofibers co-loaded with dabrafenib and doxorubicin for targeted and synergistic therapy of differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Rationale: Although surgery, radioiodine therapy, and thyroid hormone therapy are the primary clinical treatments for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), effective therapy for locally advanced or progressive DTC remains challenging. BRAF V600E, the most common BRAF mutation subtype, is highly related to DTC. Previous studies prove that combination of kinase inhibitors and chemotherapeutic drugs may be a potential approach for DTC treatment. In this study, a supramolecular peptide nanofiber (SPNs) co-loaded with dabrafenib (Da) and doxorubicin (Dox) was constructed for targeted and synergistic therapy with BRAF V600E+ DTC. Methods: A self-assembling peptide nanofiber (Biotin-GDFDFDYGRGD, termed SPNs) bearing biotin at the N-terminus and a cancer-targeting ligand RGD at the C-terminus was used as a carrier for co-loading Da and Dox. D-phenylalanine and D-tyrosine (DFDFDY) are used to improve the stability of peptides in vivo. Under multiple non-covalent interactions, SPNs/Da/Dox assembled into longer and denser nanofibers. RGD ligand endows self-assembled nanofibers with targeting cancer cells and co-delivery, thereby improving cellular uptake of payloads. Results: Both Da and Dox indicated decreased IC50 values upon encapsulation in SPNs. Co-delivery of Da and Dox by SPNs exhibited the strongest therapeutic effect in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting ERK phosphorylation in BRAF V600E mutant thyroid cancer cells. Moreover, SPNs enable efficient drug delivery and lower Dox dosage, thereby significantly reducing its side effects. Conclusion: This study proposes a promising paradigm for the synergistic treatment of DTC with Da and Dox using supramolecular self-assembled peptides as carriers.

Curcumin: A Novel Way to Improve Quality of Life for Colorectal Cancer Patients?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the second most common in women. Treatment of metastatic CRC consists of highly toxic chemotherapeutic drug combinations that often negatively affect patient quality of life (QoL). Moreover, chemotherapy-induced toxicity and chemotherapy resistance are among the most important factors limiting cancer treatment and can lead to the interruption or discontinuation of potentially effective therapy. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that curcumin acts through multiple cellular pathways and possesses both anti-cancer properties against CRC and the capacity to mitigate chemotherapy-related side effects and overcome drug resistance. In this review article, we suggest that the addition of curcumin to the standard chemotherapeutic treatment for metastatic CRC could reduce associated side-effects and overcome chemotherapy resistance, thereby improving patient QoL.